Device for penetrating frozen earth or gravel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. HUBBELL, OF SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF TOFRANK FISHER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FORiPE'NETRATING FROZEN EARTH OR GRAVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part OfLetters Patent No. 622,365, dated April 4,1899.

Application filed October 19| 1898. Serial No. 693,950. (No model.) I

To all whom, t muy concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HUBEELL, a citizen of the .United States,residing at Sant-a Cruz, county of Santa Cruz, State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Devices for Penetrating Frozen Earth orGravel; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same.

lWIy invention relates to a device which is especially designed topenetrate frozen earth, gravel, and like material which is united in asolid mass.

It consists in the parts and the constructions and combinations of partshereinafter described and claimed.

Figure lis a general view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end view of theintermediate crosstimber. Fig. 3 is a View of the auger-tool. Fig. 4:shows the working of it. Fig. 5 is a view of the root-cutting tool.

The object of this invention isY to provide a simple easily-adj ustedapparatus so constructed that it may be folded into small compass fortransportation and which when set up is adapted to penetrate groundfilled with small roots, gravel, or rock, or it may be frozen hard, andwhich is in other ways difficult to penetrate, and it is especiallyadapted for the drilling of prospect-holes to ascertain whether theparticular location contains gold or other valuable substance which itis desirable to obtain.

The frame of my apparatus consists of side timbers A, a top cross-barB,.and an intermediate bar B', and when set up these timbers are held inposition by means of guy ropes or cables C, the ends of which areconnected with a transverse bar D, fixed to the lower part of the upperframe-timber B and having eyes or suitable connections at the endsto'receive the ropes C. A The frame when setup thus consists of thetimbers A and B and the guy-ropes C, extending at right angles with theupright frame-timbers, so that the structure is rigidly supported andcan at any time be taken down and folded into a small compass.

In order to hold the frame, the top bar B is tenoned at each end andfits into correspond- 5o ing mortises in the tops of the posts A.

rl`he bar B has a hinge on the inside at one end, as shown at b, andthis allows the bar to be folded down against the post A. When openedout, the tenon at the opposite side fits the corresponding mortise inits post A, and by means of a latch b', fitting over a correspondingstaple in the post A and the pin passing through it, the parts arerigidly united.

The bar B may be jointed and hinged and has short tenons at the endsfitting correspending mortises in' the sides of the timbers A, and bymeans of lock-screws E it is secured, so that the frame will beperfectlyrigid. When packed for traveling, this bar is removed andfolded up with the others, and the bar D is turnable upon its pivotattachment to the beam B, so that it will lie beneath and parallel withthe beam.

The posts A may be made in any suitable or desired lengths and may beextended as found necessary by means of rectangular socket-pieces E,into which the lower ends of the upper part of the posts A are fitted,and the extensions fit into t-he same sockets and maybe as long as maybe desired-as, for instance, if working upon a steep hillside, where =itis necessary to have one leg longer than the other, it can beaccomplished by means of such an extension on the lower side.

In order to support and guide the drill or perforator shaft G, guides Hare fitted to the timbers B and B by making horizontal mortises in thetimbers, and the socket-pieces have corresponding plates or tenons,which enter these mortises horizontally and may be secured by pinspassing through the timbers and the plates, as shown at h.

In order to retain the shaft G in an approximately vertical positionwhen the device is set upon an incline, so that the framework A B istilted considerably to one side, I have shown a series of mortises h',made in one or the other of the transverse timbers B B', and thecorresponding guide H can be shifted to either of the said mortises, soas to bring it approximately in a Vertical line with the other guide.

The rod G may be lengthened at any time by means of socket-pieces I,which admit of extensions of the rod, as at G', these extensions beingslipped into the lower ends of the IOO sockets and secured b y pinst'passin g through the socket and the upper end of the extension.

I have shown the rod G made rectangular in cross-section for the purposeof receiving a handle J, by which the various devices employed therewithare operated. This handlepiece J has a vertical mortise or channel madein it, as shown at J', and this mortise being open at one side thehandle-piece J can be slipped upon the rod at any point by simplyturning back the keeper-plate K, which is pivoted to the side of thehandle-piece, so that it may be turned up to expose the slot or turneddown to cross the slot, and thus close the open side. The opposite endof the keeper from the pivot has a slot opening upward from the bottom,and this when the keeper is closed drops over a bolt or screw K', whichmay be tightened to hold it in place, and thus permanently unite thehandle J to the rod. The handle is prevented from slipping up or down bymeans of a pin or pins passing through the rod above or below thehandle, or both, as shown at L. While the tool is being workeddownwardly, the pins would naturally be below the handle, but if thetool is to be lifted the pin would be placed above the handle, or onemight be placed above and one below, if preferred.

The tools to be operated by this device are of various descriptions. Insome parts of the country, and especially in the frozen regions of thehigh latitudes,where gold is found there is a surface coating of Inoss,small roots, and material which is strongly bound together in additionte being frozen solid, this cutting amounting variously to from twelveinches to two or more feet in depth. through this, I have shown a toolsuch as represented at M, consisting of a cutting-blade inelosed in acylindrical jacket or casing M', which is slightly bell-mouthed and hasits lower edge made sharp. The cutting-plate M is iixed transversely andcentrally across this cylindrical cutter, and when the device is to beused the shank at the upper end is secured or coupled to theoperating-rod G. For this first operation it is only necessary to raiseand drop the apparatus with a churning motion, the guides II retainingit in proper line as it works, and the material will be chopped smalland can then easily be removed. To assist this operation, I employ adetachable weight slotted on the side like the handle, and this weightmay be slipped over the rod G and rest upon a pin L, so that when thetool is lifted the weight assists in forcing it down.

lVheu the gravel, conglomerate, or other hard material is reached, thetool N is substituted and attached to the operating-rod. This toolcomprises a twisted auger-shaped plate of a diameter essentially equalto that of the hole to be bored. The auger is here shown as formed of asingle flat plate twisted into a spiral and having a straight lower edgewithout any center-bit. This lower edge is In order to workA cut intoangular V-shaped teeth n, the teeth upon one side of the centertraveling in circles when the device is turned, which coincide with thespaces between the teeth upon the opposite side of the center. Thus theteeth upon one side of the center will form a series of circular ridgesand depressions, and the teeth upon the opposite side of the centerfollowing will cut out the ridges formed by the first set of teeth andform corresponding depressions and ridges, which are again excavated bythe action of the teeth upon the opposite side during the rotation ofthe device.

For the operation of the cutter M M' it is only necessary to raise anddrop the rod which carries the cutters by means of the handle J.

For the operation of the tool N the handles J are turned around, and byreason of the rectangular form of the shaft the latter and the tool willbe turned with it.

Any amount of weight may be brought upon the handles or upon the shaftwhich is desirable to insure a cut being made, and when the hole hasreached a depth which nccessitates a change the handle may be slipped upalong the bar and by means of the holding-pins L iXed at a new point. Inorder to lift the tool out of the ground, the handle may be slipped downto a convenient point for lifting and again retained by a pin or pins.

If in the progress of the boring a large rock or rounded eobble, such asis frequently met with in this class of groundshould be encountered, acutting-tool having crossed cutting edges at the lower end may besubstituted for the tools M or N, and by continuously raising anddropping this drill it will break up or perforate the rock, so that whenpassed the bor ing can again proceed through the ordinary material.

For ordinary gravel the teeth of the tool N will act so as to cut andbreak the gravel up to such an extent that it can be easily removed fromthe hole from time to time.

The apparatus is easily set up at any point where' work is to be doneand is capable of being packed into small compass for transportation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An earth-perfo'rating apparatus com prising a perforating-tool, ashank and means connecting it therewith, a framework having upper andlower cross-timbers, and upper and lower guides carried by saidcross-timbers and through which guides the shank loosely passes, one ofsaid guides Xed and the other adjustable to bring it in the verticalline of the fixed guide when the frame of the apparatus is set upon anincline.

2. An earth-perforatin g apparatus comprising perforating-tools, a shankand means for removably connecting them therewith, a framework includingside members and upper IOO IIO

and lower connecting crossetimbers, and means for supporting and bracingthe same, and upper and lower guides 0n said cross-timbers in which theshank is loosely turnable, one of l the other adjustable transversely tobring it substantially in the vertical line of the fixed guide when theframe is set upon an incline,

a transverse handle having a vertical slot or channel in one side to titsaid shank, and a pivoted latch or keeper for closing said slot orchannel and'locking the shank in place.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a supporting-frame havinga crosstimber with a guide fixed therein, a second 'cross-timber havinga transverse series of mortses, and a guide to be fitted to either ofsaid mortises whereby it may be brought in the vertical line of thefixed guide when the frame is set upon an incline, and a boring-toolshank loosely passing through said guides.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a supporting mortisedtenon and hinged frame capable of being folded or eX- tended, guy-ropesand a foldable connection therefor upon the upper bar of the frame,guides for the drill-rod or shank, said guides adjustable upon thetransverse frame-timbers to maintain their line of direction independentof the position of the frame, a sectional drill-rod or shank movable andturn able Within said guides, and cutting and boring tools substantiallyas described adapted to be secured to said shank.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS J. HUBBELL. Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, JEssIE C. BRODIE.

